Scroll.in: New Delhi: Monday, August 27, 2018.
The Ministry
of External Affairs has refused to share details of the request made to
Malaysia seeking extradition of Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, PTI reported on
Sunday. In response to an Right to Information application filed by PTI, the
ministry said there are 160 extradition requests from India pending with
various countries.
Naik has been
under investigation since 2016, when the Centre banned his Islamic Research
Foundation for five years. Indian security agencies have been monitoring him
ever since allegations surfaced that he had inspired one of the militants
involved in the Dhaka restaurant attack on July 1, 2016.
The ministry
cited a clause of the Right to Information Act, 2005, that bars the disclosure
of information received in confidence from a foreign government. It also cited
Section 8(1)(h) of the legislation, which bars disclosure of information that
could impede the process of investigation or apprehension or prosecution of
offenders.
The RTI
request had asked the ministry for a copy of the letter or request made to
Malaysia in the case and a copy of any response it got.
The ministry
made a formal request to Malaysia to deport Naik in January. India has an
extradition treaty with Malaysia. In July, ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar
claimed that India’s request was under “active consideration” with Malaysian
government.
However, a
day later, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that his country had
no plan to deport Naik to India as he had been given permanent residency
status.